Docker vs NixOS

Overview

Docker

Stacks194.2K

Followers143.8K

Votes3.9K

NixOS

Stacks114

Followers96

Votes12

Docker vs NixOS: What are the differences?

Introduction

In this article, we will explore the key differences between Docker and NixOS. Docker is a popular platform for containerization and NixOS is a Linux distribution that employs a declarative approach to system configuration.

Package Management:

One of the main differences between Docker and NixOS lies in their approach to package management. Docker uses a layered approach where each container includes all the necessary dependencies and libraries. This allows containers to run independently and reliably. On the other hand, NixOS utilizes a purely functional package management system, where packages are built and managed using the Nix package manager. This ensures that the system configuration is reproducible and independent of the host system.

System Configuration:

Docker focuses on running isolated applications within containers, while NixOS takes a broader approach to system configuration. NixOS allows you to define and manage the entire system configuration in a declarative manner. This means that the configuration is written in a clear and concise manner and can be easily reproduced on different machines. Docker, on the other hand, primarily focuses on managing containers and their dependencies, leaving the overall system configuration to the host system.

Immutable Infrastructure:

Docker follows an immutable infrastructure approach, which means that once a container image is built, it remains unchanged throughout its lifecycle. Any changes or updates are made by creating a new image. NixOS, on the other hand, enforces immutability at the operating system level. The entire system configuration is defined in a single, immutable configuration file, which allows for easy rollback and versioning of the system.

Isolation and Resource Utilization:

While both Docker and NixOS provide isolation mechanisms, they differ in their approach. Docker achieves isolation by running applications within containers, where each container has its own isolated environment with its own set of resources. NixOS, on the other hand, achieves isolation at the system level by using separate user environments and namespaces. This allows for better resource utilization and isolation of services within the NixOS environment.

Community and Ecosystem:

Docker has a large and active community with extensive third-party support and a wide range of pre-built container images available. NixOS, although growing in popularity, has a smaller community and ecosystem compared to Docker. However, NixOS has a strong focus on reproducibility and declarative system configuration, which can be advantageous for certain use cases.

Deployment and Scalability:

Docker is widely used in the containerization space and provides a robust set of tools for deploying and scaling applications. It supports various orchestrators like Kubernetes, Docker Swarm, and AWS ECS, making it easy to deploy and manage containers in a distributed environment. NixOS, on the other hand, is primarily focused on system configuration and does not provide the same level of built-in deployment and scalability features as Docker.

In summary, Docker and NixOS differ in terms of package management, system configuration, approach to immutability, isolation mechanisms, community support, and deployment scalability. While Docker focuses on containerization and application management, NixOS takes a broader approach to system configuration and emphasizes declarative and reproducible system setups.

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Advice on Docker, NixOS

Florian

IT DevOp at Agitos GmbH

Oct 22, 2019

Decided

lxd/lxc and Docker aren't congruent so this comparison needs a more detailed look; but in short I can say: the lxd-integrated administration of storage including zfs with its snapshot capabilities as well as the system container (multi-process) approach of lxc vs. the limited single-process container approach of Docker is the main reason I chose lxd over Docker.

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Detailed Comparison

Docker	NixOS
The Docker Platform is the industry-leading container platform for continuous, high-velocity innovation, enabling organizations to seamlessly build and share any application — from legacy to what comes next — and securely run them anywhere	It is a Linux distribution with a unique approach to package and configuration management. Built on top of the Nix package manager, it is completely declarative, makes upgrading systems reliable, and has many other advantages.
Integrated developer tools; open, portable images; shareable, reusable apps; framework-aware builds; standardized templates; multi-environment support; remote registry management; simple setup for Docker and Kubernetes; certified Kubernetes; application templates; enterprise controls; secure software supply chain; industry-leading container runtime; image scanning; access controls; image signing; caching and mirroring; image lifecycle; policy-based image promotion	DevOps-friendly; atomic upgrades and rollbacks
Statistics
Stacks 194.2K	Stacks 114
Followers 143.8K	Followers 96
Votes 3.9K	Votes 12
Pros & Cons
Pros 823 Rapid integration and build up 692 Isolation 521 Open source 505 Testability and reproducibility 460 Lightweight Cons 8 New versions == broken features 6 Unreliable networking 6 Documentation not always in sync 4 Moves quickly 3 Not Secure	Pros 3 Atomic upgrades 2 Declarative system configuration 2 Multi-user package management 2 Rollback for any changes 2 Reproducible environment
Integrations
Java Docker Compose VirtualBox Linux Amazon EC2 Container Service Docker Swarm boot2docker Kubernetes Docker Machine Vagrant	Apache Tomcat PostgreSQL

What are some alternatives to Docker, NixOS?

Ubuntu

Ubuntu is an ancient African word meaning ‘humanity to others’. It also means ‘I am what I am because of who we all are’. The Ubuntu operating system brings the spirit of Ubuntu to the world of computers.

Debian

Debian systems currently use the Linux kernel or the FreeBSD kernel. Linux is a piece of software started by Linus Torvalds and supported by thousands of programmers worldwide. FreeBSD is an operating system including a kernel and other software.

Arch Linux

A lightweight and flexible Linux distribution that tries to Keep It Simple.

Fedora

Fedora is a Linux-based operating system that provides users with access to the latest free and open source software, in a stable, secure and easy to manage form. Fedora is the largest of many free software creations of the Fedora Project. Because of its predominance, the word "Fedora" is often used interchangeably to mean both the Fedora Project and the Fedora operating system.

Linux Mint

The purpose of Linux Mint is to produce a modern, elegant and comfortable operating system which is both powerful and easy to use.

LXD

LXD isn't a rewrite of LXC, in fact it's building on top of LXC to provide a new, better user experience. Under the hood, LXD uses LXC through liblxc and its Go binding to create and manage the containers. It's basically an alternative to LXC's tools and distribution template system with the added features that come from being controllable over the network.

CentOS

The CentOS Project is a community-driven free software effort focused on delivering a robust open source ecosystem. For users, we offer a consistent manageable platform that suits a wide variety of deployments. For open source communities, we offer a solid, predictable base to build upon, along with extensive resources to build, test, release, and maintain their code.

Linux

A clone of the operating system Unix, written from scratch by Linus Torvalds with assistance from a loosely-knit team of hackers across the Net. It aims towards POSIX and Single UNIX Specification compliance.

CoreOS

It is designed for security, consistency, and reliability. Instead of installing packages via yum or apt, it uses Linux containers to manage your services at a higher level of abstraction. A single service's code and all dependencies are packaged within a container that can be run on one or many machines.

Gentoo Linux

It is a free operating system based on either Linux or FreeBSD that can be automatically optimized and customized for just about any application or need.

Related Comparisons

Docker vs NixOS: What are the differences?

Introduction

Package Management:

System Configuration:

Immutable Infrastructure:

Isolation and Resource Utilization:

Community and Ecosystem:

Deployment and Scalability:

Docker vs NixOS

Overview